AMERICAN TRAILERS (UK) LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
02740160 · ltd · incorporated 1992-08-17
Investment thesis
Zombie company — trading but stalled; unlikely mover.
Why interesting: Quiet, steady; could be a succession or carve-out candidate with the right conversation.
Why risky: No growth signal; thin margin for error on price.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Aug 2024
Net worth
£1.0k
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 45190
Sector: Wholesale & retail
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 61-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 80/100. Strong seller-intent signal (70/100, director aged 61). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Discharge stale live charges. 1 live charge(s) created 15+ years ago — likely paid but undischarged. Clean register. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
1 live charge · oldest 23.7y
45/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 23.7 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (76/100)Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.
Company profile
address, 1 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
1 charges (1/1 with lender, 1/1 with type)
90
Directors & officers
8 officers (2 active, 8 linked, 3 with DOB)
78
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
102 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
82/100Exceptional
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Strong composite across quality, acquirability, and risk. High-priority target — progress to serious diligence.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 105 (micro)Positive net assets
Net assets £1,021
Net assets shrinking
Down £4,612 YoY
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
£1k
↓ 82% YoY
Current Assets
£101k
↓ 1.7% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 105 (micro)| Metric | 2024-08-31 | 2023-08-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £42.3k | £60.9k |
| Current assets | £101.1k | £102.8k |
| Net assets | £1.0k | £5.6k |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
🔒Filing-note intelligence
1 signal detected in this company's narrative notes — going-concern language, audit opinion, contingent liabilities, related-party transactions.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Recent activity
Last 30 days
0
filings
Last 90 days
0
filings
Last 180 days
0
filings
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (31 events)Click to expand
- 2025-05-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2024-05-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2023-05-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2022-07-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2021-08-18📍change-sail-address-company-with-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD02
- 2021-05-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2020-05-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2019-05-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2018-05-16📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2017-05-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2016-08-26📍move-registers-to-sail-company-with-new-addressaddress · AD03
- 2016-08-25📍change-sail-address-company-with-new-addressaddress · AD02
- 2016-05-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2015-08-27📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2015-05-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2015-03-01➖HOWMAN, Yvonne resigneddirector
- 2013-08-27➕HOWMAN, Yvonne appointeddirector
- 2013-04-07➕HOWMAN, Yvonne appointedsecretary
- 2013-04-07➖HOWMAN, Peter Arthur James resignedsecretary
- 2013-04-07➖HOWMAN, Peter Arthur James resigneddirector
- 2006-03-17➖HOWMAN, Pauline Freda resignedsecretary
- 2006-03-17➕HOWMAN, Peter Arthur James appointedsecretary
- 2002-09-03🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC
- 1992-08-17🏢Company incorporatedAs AMERICAN TRAILERS (UK) LIMITED
- 1992-08-17➕HOWMAN, Gregory Peter appointeddirector
- 1992-08-17➕HOWMAN, Pauline Freda appointedsecretary
- 1992-08-17➕P S SECRETARIES LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1992-08-17➖P S SECRETARIES LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1992-08-17➕HOWMAN, Peter Arthur James appointeddirector
- 1992-08-17➕P S NOMINEES LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
- 1992-08-17➖P S NOMINEES LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-director
Owner dependency
93/100
Critical — business is the founderThe business appears inseparable from the founder. Acquisition without a serious earn-out or meaningful transition period would likely destroy value.
FACTORS
- +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 34 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 61 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
85/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 61. Early succession window.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 34 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 34 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
- supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.
Red flags
cleanNo red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Gregory Peter Howman Individual · British · DOB 02/1965 · age 61 | 75–100% | 75–100% | board controlsig. influence75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control · significant influence | 17/08/2016 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
Active · Automotive · LN postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A&D AUTO SERVICES LTD→ 16985546 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| A&K CARS LTD→ 17038810 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ABC WINDSCREENS LIMITED→ 08037911 · est 2012 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 13y | — | — |
| ACCI-DENT SMART REPAIRS LIMITED→ 04984678 · est 2003 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 22y | — | — |
| AG PERFORMANCE LTD→ 14753152 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| AH MOTOR CARE & DETAILING LTD→ 16872133 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AJ CARS & COMMERCIALS LTD→ 14772400 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| ALDRIDGE AUTOS LIMITED→ 11893294 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| ALLROUND TYRES LIMITED→ 05752097 · est 2006 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 20y | — | — |
| AMG COMMERCIALS LIMITED→ 12823669 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| AMS HAND CAR WASH LIMITED→ 08963489 · est 2014 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 12y | — | — |
| APEX BODYSHOP LINCOLN LIMITED→ 17053127 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
7 specific questions generated from this company's actual signals — liquidity, leverage, director age, charge count, red flags, age-of-company.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →🔒Advanced scoring suite
Exit-route ranking, improvement thesis, quiet-distress detector, covenant-pressure proxy, extraction monitor, approaching triggers, ownership drift, local cluster, value trap, debt capacity, archetype classification — 48+ scoring modules.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Company details
Statusactive
Typeltd
Incorporated1992-08-17
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC45190 — SIC 45190
Registered office
Manby Business Park
Manby
Lincolnshire
LN11 8UT
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-05-31
Last made up to: 2024-08-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-08-31
Last: 2025-08-17
Officers (2 active · 6 resigned)
Active
HOWMAN, Gregory Peter→
Activedirector · ~61y · appointed 1992-08-17
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HOWMAN, Pauline Freda→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1992-08-17 · resigned 2006-03-17
HOWMAN, Peter Arthur James→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2006-03-17 · resigned 2013-04-07
P S SECRETARIES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1992-08-17 · resigned 1992-08-17
HOWMAN, Peter Arthur James→
Resigneddirector · ~92y · appointed 1992-08-17 · resigned 2013-04-07
HOWMAN, Yvonne→
Resigneddirector · ~60y · appointed 2013-08-27 · resigned 2015-03-01
P S NOMINEES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 1992-08-17 · resigned 1992-08-17
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
1
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:1 of 1 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 03/09/2002 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (102 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-08-21
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2025-05-21
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-08-19
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2024-05-28
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-08-18
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2023-05-23
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-08-18
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2022-07-29
change-sail-address-company-with-old-address-new-address
address · AD02
2021-08-18
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-08-17
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2021-05-27
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-08-27
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2020-05-19
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2019-08-22
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2019-05-29